EDITORIAL – The importance of a strong infrastructure

Cebu City has again scored high in the race to entice foreign retirees. A recent article published in the popular website Investopedia named the city as one of world's best cosmopolitan cities for international retirees.

Investopedia describes Cebu City as having "all the traditional modern conveniences and is located close to beautiful beaches and lush mountains. It's one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines and is the main center of commerce, education, industry and trade in the region."

The Investopedia article was just the latest piece of good news hailing Cebu as an ideal destination for international visitors. Last year, a popular travel website also identified the Cebu province as one of the world's best place to retire.

Of course, for Cebuanos, those flattering words are a testament that Cebu has always been a perfect place for foreign visitors. With fine beaches and beautiful historical landmarks waiting to be explored across the province, aside from an affordable cost of living, a foreign retiree will never have a boring day.

That Cebu has been getting all these free promotions from known international travel outfits these days is also proof that it has now slowly metamorphosed into a major force in global tourism.

However, whether Cebu can sustain the influx of foreign retirees remains to be seen. For one, we all know that Cebu lacks the sophisticated infrastructure needed in a modern metropolis to attract more visitors.

A case in point is the lack of an integrated mass transport system across the province, which can only limit tourist mobility. Besides, the seemingly endless problem on flooding in Metro Cebu will only force retirees to sidestep Cebu in favor of neighboring tourism rivals Bohol and Negros.

The problem is that our local authorities simply failed to capitalize on the positive feedbacks that Cebu has been getting as a tourist haven. They seem content to think that pushing Cebu's beauty before the world is already enough that they failed to realize the importance of a strong infrastructure for convenience.

Yes the Investopedia report is the latest manifestation of a rising global confidence in Cebu's beauty. And sustaining that confidence highly requires an adequate infrastructure system to complement its attractiveness.